Amelia POV

The city was buzzing, even though the sun had long dipped behind the skyline, leaving the sky dressed in deep indigo and scattered stars. Streetlights flickered to life like clockwork, casting golden pools across the pavement, while the distant honks and chatter gave the night its own chaotic rhythm.

Around the mall premises, the air was alive with movement — cars pulling in and out and neon signs glowing bright against the glass facade.

There was a faint scent of roasted corn and sugary donuts wafting from nearby stalls, mingling with our perfumes and the cool breeze that danced through the air.

As music pulsed faintly from the mall speakers, and people drifted in and out like stories in motion, we could feel it — the night was just beginning.

"I think we should call them again."
Daisy muttered under her breath, her eyes fixed on the street and occasionally glancing at her phone.

Daisy, Katherine, Sarah and I are waiting outside the mall entrance for the boys to arrive. The glass doors behind us slid open and shut in regular intervals as people strolled in and out.

The night had a strange electric feel to it — something about anticipation and the shimmer of city lights made everything feel more alive, more dramatic.

"Oh, look, there they are."
Katherine squealed in excitement. I chuckled to myself lightly, moving in motion with the girls to reach out to the boys.

It was going to be an exciting evening. I'd never come for shopping since university started, except for a few skincare and grocery products. This trip gave a perfect opportunity for all of us to spend more time together and deepen our bonds not just during the trip but also while shopping.

"Hey, Justin..."

I heard Katherine's voice—thoughtful, surprised and just above a whisper.

My eyes snapped towards the boys, searching for him. And there he was– Justin, casually walking up to us as if he wasn't the one who denied to come to the trip with us.

The second Justin stepped out of the car, my breath caught before I could stop it. I hated that. That tiny jolt in my chest, like my heart had a mind of its own. The group erupted in their usual way — teasing, calling out his name, acting like everything was normal. And maybe for them, it was.

"Amy," Sarah called me softly, bringing me back to the present.

I looked at her, rapidly blinking my eyes and trying to shake off the inner turmoil of thoughts of my mind.

"Come with us. Why do you always stay behind?"

Sarah took my hand in hers and we entered the mall. Justin was walking a few steps ahead of me with the boys. Sarah was continously chirping in enthusiasm, something about what type of outfits she wants to buy today.

Daisy and Katherine were walking like literal maniacs, laughing uncontrollably and frequently stumbling on each other.

I fell in step with the others as we moved toward the mall entrance, the glass doors sliding open in front of us with a mechanical hush. The lights inside hit my eyes too brightly for a second, or maybe I was just too inside my head to care.

So he’s not missing out after all… Does that mean he’s coming to the trip too?
That thought clung to the back of my mind like smoke — I tried to wave it off, but it stayed. Twisting, curling.

At the dorm, Sarah had casually mentioned Justin wouldn’t be coming for the trip because he had to visit his hometown. I didn’t say much then. Just nodded, as if it didn’t matter.
But it did.

And now, here he was. Laughing with the guys like nothing had happened. Like there had never been a moment of uncertainty.
Was he coming for the trip now?
Had something changed?
Or was this just... shopping?

I didn’t want to care. God, I didn’t want to care. But even as I walked ahead, pretending to scan through the glass storefronts, pretending to listen to the girls chatter beside me — a part of me stayed behind. Caught in the echo of that one quiet truth:

If he could come here tonight... then why couldn’t he have told me himself...

Justin POV

The men’s section was already a mess of opinions and indecision. Racks of shirts, shelves of jackets, and walls lined with watches and wallets — it was every guy’s confusion in fabric form.

“Bro, this or this?” Andrew held up two shirts — one plain white, the other with loud blue patterns.
“Definitely not the blue one,” I muttered, half-smirking.
“What? Are you serious? This one looks exotic.”
“Exactly.”

Ryan was trying on sunglasses two sizes too big for his face. Liam debated between brown boots and white sneakers like it was a life-or-death decision.

Laughter bounced off the walls as we kept hopping from shelf to shelf, tossing opinions, teasing, and checking price tags like we were pretending to be mature about it.

But even in that buzz, my attention kept flitting.

I wasn’t really looking for anything specific, but I kept moving anyway — from graphic tees to solid polos, to leather bracelets I didn’t need, and back again. I don’t know why I was restless. Maybe I did.

“Yo! I’ll just check the other section,” I said suddenly, waving a hand in the air to let them know.
“Be back in five.” Ryan answered.

They didn’t question it. Everyone was too caught up in their fashion crises to notice. I walked off, past the stacked jeans, past some mannequins in questionable outfits — and into a quieter part of the store.

That’s when I saw her.

Lia.

Standing alone near a rack of neutral-toned sweaters, her fingers lightly brushing the sleeves like she wasn’t really paying attention to them.

The lighting was soft here — too soft maybe. Or maybe it was just the way she looked at me when our eyes met.

Her face didn’t change much at first — just the smallest pause, her fingers still mid-movement. But I noticed it. The slight stiffening of her shoulders, the hesitation in her blink, and something tight around her mouth.

She looked... unsure.

And then, finally — her voice. Low, even, but with that edge of question that always made me listen a little closer.

“So… you came,” she said.
There was no accusation, no smile either. Just… honesty.
“What about your hometown?”

I could see the shift in her expression — the flicker of something between surprise and disappointment, masked quickly under practiced calm. She was trying not to look like it mattered. But I knew Lia better than that.

I looked straight at her for a second — long enough to register the storm behind those steady eyes — and then, I did the one thing I shouldn’t have.

I ignored it.

“Plans changed,” I said lightly, reaching for a black hoodie from the rack beside her, even though I wasn’t even looking at it. “Thought I’d grab something decent for the trip.”

I could tell she wasn’t going to say anything else. Not right away.

She gave a small nod — almost automatic — then turned her attention back to the sweaters.

But her movements had shifted. They were stiffer now, more deliberate, like she was trying to focus but couldn’t. Her fingers brushed over fabrics without feeling them, eyes scanning tags she clearly wasn’t reading.

She was pretending. And I could see right through it.

I stayed where I was, flipping through clothes I didn’t care about.

Occasionally, I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She picked up a pale beige cardigan, held it up to herself in the mirror, then put it back down two seconds later. Grabbed a muted green top, studied it, then tossed it onto the rack without even bothering to straighten the hanger.

She wasn’t shopping.

She was trying not to think. Trying not to feel.

And I was the reason for both.

I hated this part — the part where I could see what I was doing to her, but didn’t know how to fix it without making it worse. I hadn’t told her I wasn’t coming. Then I hadn’t told her I was. There were reasons. Real ones. But right now, none of that mattered.

She looked up suddenly — not at the clothes, but at me. And this time, there was no hesitation.

“You could’ve just told me.”

Her voice was soft. No sharpness, no raised volume — but it landed like a stone in my chest.

I turned toward her slowly, the hoodie still in my hand, forgotten.

“What?” I asked, already knowing what she meant.

“That you weren’t coming. That you were. Anything.”
She blinked once, slowly, but she didn’t look away.
“You could’ve just told me.”

And there it was — that quiet kind of disappointment that doesn’t yell, doesn’t accuse, but still hits harder than any fight. The kind that says I expected better without ever needing to say the words.

I looked at her — really looked at her — and for a second, I felt like I’d stepped outside the noise of the mall, the chaos of the group, the distractions. It was just me, and her, and the weight of all the things I hadn’t said.

“I know,” I said finally.

It wasn’t an excuse. It wasn’t enough.

"I can explain, Lia. There were... a few things going on, which needed my time and attention. Only a few people know about it. And I honestly don't wish to keep it from you. Trust me, Lia. I'll tell you everything once the right time comes. And I'm genuinely sorry for not informing you anything. I understand your emotions that you're hurt and you might have felt ignored but now here I am, standing in front of you — sincerely asking for your apology. Please forgive me, Lia."

Writing this chapter felt like standing between Amelia’s silence and Justin’s unsaid truths. Their emotions aren’t loud, but they’re real — raw and quietly aching. Will Amelia forgive him? Or is this the moment things begin to shift between them? Stay close, because what happens next might just change everything✨💫

Please vote and comment if you liked this chapter. The next is will be updated soon after this one. Take care, cuties 💙

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